Rotary engine



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I ROTARY ENGINE Filed July 31. 1945 l l 4 sheets-sheet 4 BW M - ATTORNEYS Patented July 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFC ROTARY ENGINE James Jolly, Blackpool, England Application July 31, 1945, Serial No. 607,959

(Cl. 12S-14) I Claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements in rotary internal combustion engines and rotary steam engines.

The engine according to the invention comprises a rotor rotating within a casing in which itis a gas or steam tight t and having one, two or more chambers therein open at the peripheral surface, means for supplying the charge under pressure to the said chamber or 'chambers and a sliding member located `close to the inlet of the charge into the chamber or chambers and in front Aof said inlet relative to the direction of rotation of the rotor, the said sliding member beingcontrolled by a cam or equivalent device on or driven by the rotor shaft and timed so that it enters each chamber or pocket in a more or less radial direction immediately the front edge of each chamber or pocket has passed it and as or just before the said front edge passes the inlet ofthe charge and is withdrawn as the rear face of each -chamber approaches it.

The front or leading face of each chamber is substantially radial and the rear thereof is arranged at such an angle that if for any reason the sliding member should fail to be withdrawn on the approach of the rear of the pocket it forms an inclined surface up which the sliding member will ride.

In the case of an internal combustion engine the charge is compressed in a cylinder the axis of which is substantially radial in relation tothe rotor having a piston working therein and an inlet onto the periphery ofthe rotor, the piston being driven from a cam or equivalent device on or driven by the rotor shaft so that its movement is timed relative to each chamber in the rotor.

The invent-ion is illustrated diagrammaticallyv in and will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section through a rotary internal combustion engine the rotor of which has two chambers therein.

Fig. 2 is Aa side elevation thereof.

' Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a plan of a liner surrounding the rotor.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section through a rotary steam engine, the rotor of which has three chambers therein.

Fig. 6 shows a Vmodification of the drive for the cam operating the shutter or the piston in the cylinder.

l Fig. 7 shows a gear for reversing the the rotor.

In the form of the invention shown diagrammati'cally in Figs. l t0'4 as applied to an internal drive from 2 y combustion engine a rotor A is carried by a shaft B mounted in bearings c in end plates C1, C2, aflixed to cylindrical `casing C, the ends b1 and b2 of the shaft B projecting through the bearings.

The rotor A is formed with two chambers A1, open at the peripheral surface of the rotor and equally spaced around the latter. The front or leading face a of each chamber is substantially radial and the bottom a1 thereof gradually approaches the periphery of the rotor at a much less abrupt angle for a purpose which will be hereinafter indicated.

'Io ensure a gas tight joint between the periphery of the rotor A and the casing C the former carries a split liner D on its periphery, the liner having apertures d therein corresponding with the open faces of the chambers A1. The liner D is formed with radial flanges d1 which engage annular plates c1 on the inner faces of the end plates C1, C2. l

The bottom a1 and front face a of each chamber A1 are preferably provided with a lining a2 of a suitable heat resisting metal or alloy, the lining being affixed to the rotor bythe screws a3.

A cylinder F is formed as an extension of the casing C and a piston F1 operates therein. The cylinder F has an inlet port f controlled by `a one way valve f1 and an outlet port f2 passing through the wall of the casing C. A sparking plug f3 is arranged near the port f2. The cylinder F is preferably vertical and the piston 'F1 is operated by the rod f, lever f5, connecting rod ,f6 and pivoted arm fY which carries a runner f8 engaging in a cam groove g of a cam G aiiixed on the end b1 of the rotor shaft B. Since it is necessary that the piston F1 should make as many compression strokes for each revolution of the rotor A as there are chambers A1 therein the cam groove g must oscillate the arm f7 the same number of times. This may be attained in the case of the two -chambered rotor shown in the drawings by rotating the cam G at the same speed as the shaft B and forming the cam groove g with two cam surfaces g1 or by rotating the cam G at twice the speed of the rotor A and providing it with a single cam surface.l In the latter lease as shown in Fig. 6 the cam G is rotatably mounted on the shaft B and is driven therefrom through the gear wheel g2 aflixed on the shaft B, the gears wheels `g3 and g1 affixed on the lay shaft g5 and the gearwheel g6 affixed to the cam G, the ratio of the gear being 2 to 1.

A sliding member or shutter I-I is 4arranged close to the wall of the cylinder F and in front thereof relative to the direction of rotating of the rotor A. The member I-I is adapted to slide through an aperture in the casing C so that it enters each chamber A1 in a more or less radial direction immediately the front edge a of the chamber has passed it and just before the edge passes the port f2 from the cylinder to the interior of the casing C.

The sliding member -I is of the same width as the width of each chamber A1 and moves down into contact. with the bottom a1 thereof, its undersurface being shaped to conform lto the contour of the bottom and its sides which Contactl with the sides of the chamber are preferably slightly tapered at their lower ends to ensure that it enters the chamber, the corresponding` sides of which may be of corresponding taper.

The sliding member H is operated from the. cam E on the end b2 of the rotor shaft B through the runner e which engages in a groove in the cam, connecting rod e1, pivoted lever e2 and rod h in such a way that it receives a drive parallel to its, direction of movement;

The shape of the bottom d1 of the chamber A is such that itV will gradually push the sliding member I-I out of the chamber should the con nections from thecam Ev fail for any reason.

As in the case of the piston F1 the sliding member H must make as many strokes for each revo lution of the rotor A as there are chambers A1 therein so that the camgroove must have the same number of'cam surfaces or the cam H' must be rotated at twice the speed of the rotor A by means similar to that described' and illustrated in Fig. 6;

An exhaust port c3 is formed in the peripheral surface of the casing Cat such a position that it will not be uncovered by a chamber A1 in the rotor A4 until the chamber has moved away from the port f2 and" a secondV exhaust. portv cL1 is formed inl the. peripheral surface of the casingv C a short distance in front ofthe piston where the sliding member H passes through the casing.

In order tov obtain a reverse drive from the rotor shaft B the driving shaft B1 (see Fig. 7) instead of'being integral therewith is driven there* from through a reversing gear. The reversing gear, shown in Fig. 7,' comprises a clutch member K slidably mounted on the end of' the shaft B but prevented from rotation in` relation. thereto. and a second clutch member K1 alixed on the shaftBl. Each member lcarries a bevel wheel' 1c, lcladaptedto be engaged',r by a third bevel wheel k2 mounted on theV end of a screwed rod L carried4 by, a frame L1 so that by rotatingthe, rodL by thehand wheell the wheelcis moved into. or out of engagement with the wheels lc andlcl. The sliding clutch member K is operated by a screwed rodL2 through the link Z1 and pivoted lever 1.2', the rod being rotatedby. the handwheel Z3.

When the clutch membersv K and K1 are disengaged and the, wheel k2 is engaged with the wheels 7c and k1 i. e. the positionsshown in Fig. 7 the shaft Bl will' be drivenin the oppositedirection, i. e. in reverse. to the shaft- B.. For forward' drive the wheel k2 is disengagedfromthe Wheels K and Klandthe clutch member K engaged with the clutch member K1.

The application ofthe invention to a steam engine is illustrated inFig. which shows a .transverse section through rotor A and casing C, the rotor having three chambers -Al equally spaced around the periphery of therotor. In the case of` asteam engine al compression `cylinder is not required, the high. pressure steamA enteringV the chambers A1 through the port f2 and expanding therein against the fixed abutment formed by the sliding member H. The member H is operated by a cam on the shaft B of the rotor A similarly to that already described and the casing C is formed with two exhaust ports c3 and c4. The rotor shaft B is preferably provided with areversing gear similar to that shown in Fig. 7.

In either of the forms of the invention illustrated in the drawings an oil reservoir c may be provided in the bottom of the casing C for lubricating the liner D as it rotates in the casing.

The cycle of operations of the internal combustion engine shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is as follows:

Assuming a chamber A1 has just passed the port ffrom the cylinder F i. e. the position shown in Fig. l the piston F1 commences its outward stroke, drawing a charge into the cylinder F and then compresses the charge between its face and the peripheral surface of the rotor before the next chamber A1 approaches the port f2.. As the front edge a of the second chamber A approaches the port f2 the sliding member H enters the chamber and forms a fixed stationary wall behind the, front face a. As the port f2 becomes uncoveredI the compressed charge in the cylinder F rushes into the increasing space between the front face a of the chamber A1 and the stationary wall formed by the member H. The charge is fired by the sparking plug f3 as soon as the charge commences to enter the chamber A1 andas atthis period the piston F1 is held stationary and as thel rear of the chamber A1 is formed by a sliding member H which is then xed the whole force of the ex.- panding gases owing tothe firing: ofthecharge is taken by the front face of the chamber or pocket and drives the rotor.

As soon as the chamber has passed4 the port f2 the sliding member I-I is withdrawn ,and the piston F also commences its suction. stroke and shortly afterwards the first exhaust port c3 is uncovered allowing the discharge of the products of combustion from the chamberv A1; The rotation of the rotor A continues until the front a of the. rst chamber-A1 passes the sliding.` member H when the same cycle of operationsl commences for the first' chamber as has been describedy for the second chamber.

When the second chamber is again approachingl the sliding member H the second exhaust port' c4 is opened so that substantially al1 the remaining products of combustion in the chamber are swept out through the port c4.

The cycle of operations of a steam driven en'- gine is` similar to that described for an internall combustion engine taking'into consideration that there is no compression cylinder. Y

In either application of the invention any convenient number of rotors may be arranged'sideby side and all the pistons in the compression cylinders and the sliding members may be controlled from a single pair of cams, in the case 0l?A an internal combustion engine and all the sliding members may be controlled from a single. cam inthe case of a steam engine.

I claim:

A rotary internal combustion engine,compris ing a casing having a cylindrical chamber therein, a substantially cylindrical rotor mounted r0- tatably in said chamber in the casing and-having a chamber in its periphery, the casing* having a port for admitting an explosive medium to the chamber in the rotor, l an abutment slidably mounted in the casing and movable into* the chamber in the rotor, a peripherally-split cylindrical liner on the periphery of the rotor and having an aperture therein corresponding with the chamber in the rotor, the liner having inturned anges at its `side edges which `engage the lateral peripheral edges of the rotor, and annular plates interposed between the outer sides of said flanges on the liner and the inner faces of the end walls of the casing and forming ud tight joints between the periphery of the rotor and the casing.

JAMES JOLLY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jackson Oct. 9, 1900 Number Number 

